Embracing the New

Your beginning your second week of Kindergarten and it hasn't gotten any easier to drop you off. I am thankful for the mornings we get together, and I am even more grateful for the fact you are still proud to be my baby. Your kisses and hugs still overwhelm me with the greatest joy. I often can't believe the Lord would honor me in such a way.

We have already hit a few rough patches, but nothing so major we can't overcome. Sweet boy, you are going to have a wonderful year. I am excited to watch you grow. As hard as this new season is for me, I know it is necessary, so I will embrace it, cling to Jesus, and praise Him for being side by side with you always.

It gives me peace and comfort knowing you are not alone. I love the fact that Jesus never leaves your side. I hope you will grow to love that fact just as much, and that it will bring you great joy and peace the rest of your life.

Jesus fill him with a joy for learning. Teach him the importance of listening and obeying but more than that, teach him his greatest role, sharing who You are, Your Word. May he reflect You through his actions, speech, attitude, thoughts and behavior. Set him apart for Your glory. 

Fill him with wisdom beyond his years, give him a desire to learn, and a passion for more of You. 

Jesus protect him, his health, his mind, his heart, his thoughts, and the things he sees. Use him in ways only You can. Thank You for loving him, guiding him, and always being side by side with him. 

Thank You for the privilege of being his mommy. May I set a godly example that leaves a lasting impression and legacy for him and his brother. Jesus teach them both what true humility looks like and fill them with the desire to obtain pure wisdom from heaven. Thank You that Your mercies begin afresh each new day. Thank You that Your protection goes beyond what we can see. Thank You for giving us Your Word to learn, know, and grow closer to You. Put us aside Jesus so others can see and know You. Amen

What Brings You Jesus Joy?

"But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, God is great!" Psalm 70:4

It's an unexplainable joy. One that flows through out my entire body.

This joy comes from studying and teaching God's Word. These are the top 2 things that bring me Jesus Joy! (I have a lot more, but these two really get my blood flowing)

There is not an aspect of it I dislike.

I love it all.

Every Sunday God allows me to walk into a room full of the most precious women and do this very thing, teach His Word.

But this go around, it seems to be more than that. 

These women come from all walks of life. They are crowned with wisdom. Full of Jesus beauty, and have smiles and hearts that will overwhelm you with a need to be around them.

I am challenged to dig deeper in my study and teaching, and I love it! I am challenged to go beyond myself and seek the face of God everyday. I am challenged to be a better servant. I am challenged to love, listen and learn from these precious women who have walked thousands of more steps with the Lord than I have.

I have been so challenged, so overjoyed, that Satan can't stand it. Nope, he wants none of this to be happening.

Thus the fiery arrows.

But he won't win the battle. You think he would know that by now, being that he has tried to attack previous times, and has come up short. But he is Satan and he is relentless. He will never give up.

Christ has the victory and because I am in Christ I too have the victory. We all do. Isn't that a wonderful feeling?

Do you know what else is wonderful? When God opens doors like these. You know the ones you least expect. The ones that you never thought you would do, but do, and fall madly in love doing.

That's how I feel. I am over joyed more times than I am overwhelmed (like the other day) at being called to do things for the Lord that I feel completely unqualified for.

I wonder if Paul and Timothy felt that way. Especially Timothy. He was young, intelligent, and in love with Jesus. He also had an amazing mentor who walked with him, encouraged him, and spoke wisdom into him.

I am blessed to have a couple of those myself. They are two very important people in my life, who have set an amazing example of Christ-likeness. Well okay, I really have four!

Do you have a Godly mentor?

What calling has God placed on your life that fills you with an overwhelming amount of joy?

Has the Lord recently called you into a ministry you never expected or thought you would do?

Brethren, these are exciting opportunities. We should be joyful and thankful to be found useful by the Lord.

Maybe you have become discouraged and your Jesus Joy is low.  Don't grow weary. Keep pressing on. Keep looking at what lies ahead and up. Keep seeking the face of God. Keep growing in the Word daily. Just keep on keeping on. In His timing He will place you where He knows you will be the most useful for His name and His glory.

Evaluate your motives daily. Make sure they are motives for Him and not for self. That alone is a big Jesus Joy zapper.  Keep yourself pure and your eyes and thoughts on Him so He can use you.

And when God does reveal His purpose for you in a more clear and distinct way. Make sure you praise Him, thank Him, honor Him, devote your time to serving Him and others, and always point others to Him and not yourself.

Now, to my sweet mamas, remember, your greatest ministry is your home, your family. Tending to it, is your first and most important priority. Make the Lord proud with the blessings He has given you. Find joy in serving your family and taking care of your home. Even when it seems hard, overwhelming, frustrating, tedious, and unnoticed.

It is an honor and privilege we have been given to serve the Lord in our homes and we need to always view it from His perspective and not our flesh's perspective or the worlds.

Are you fulfilling your calling at home? Are you finding joy in taking care of your family and home?

Are you looking and searching for Jesus  each and every day? Look for opportunities to share God's truth, love, and mercy with others. Use each day to serve and bless the Lord by serving and blessing your family.

Everything we do for the Lord and in His name is useful!

"If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work." 2 Timothy 2:21

Here are my hubbies top 5 things that bring him joy. (These are not in any particular order)

1. Providing for His family
2. Serving others
3. Fishing on a good lake
4. Christmas time (seeing our faces on Christmas morning)
5. Watching the Redskins play (He is a very proud and supportive brother! I can attest to this joy!)

    
Here are my 5, plus some (These are not in any particular order)

1. Studying God's Word
2. Teaching God's Word
3. Discipling Women
4. Serving my family
5. Fishing with my 3 boys
6. Watching the Redskins, Broncos, and Texas Tech
7. My Dave Ramsey envelopes
8. Organizing my home

 What are the top 5 (or more) things that bring you Jesus Joy?

Which one do you want, the Nail or the Hammer?

“This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Matthew 27:37

Place Number 7-Skull Hill (Golgotha)- The Crucifixion

“It was nine o’clock in the morning when the crucifixion took place.” Mark 15:25. They stripped Jesus down and placed Him on the cross. Then they stretched out His weak and beaten arms opened His hand placed a nail in it and began to hammer, and hammer, making sure to get the nail all the way through the cross. First the right then the left (my paraphrase) and with every strike of the hammer you could hear and feel the severity of His pain. They then moved from His hands to His feet. Placing one foot on top of the other, they positioned the nail, ensuring it would go through both of His feet. Then strike after strike they hammered the nail through both of His feet and out the other side of the cross. Once finished they nailed a sign right above His, that read the charge placed against Him. “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Matthew 27:37

Then a group of Soldiers picked up the cross with Jesus nailed to it and placed it in the ground. The heaviness of His body plus the weight of our sin magnified the pain in His body.  

There, our Savior hung, while down below the soldiers gambled for His clothes, the leaders laughed and scoffed saying, “He saved others…let him save himself if he is really God’s Chosen One, the Messiah.” Luke 23:35

Do you get it? Jesus could have saved Himself, but because of His love for us, He carried through, clear to His death. And to top it off, as Jesus hung there He spoke these words, “…Father, forgive these people, because they don’t know what they are doing.”

He did not say, “Father save me.” He said, “Father I love these people, I love the very ones who hung me here. I love them so much I have taken their sin and placed it upon me. Please Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.”

LOVE-LOVE-LOVE-LOVE! The most selfless, pure, beautiful love ever displayed by choice and action!

Jesus You chose and acted on Your love for us. It was never based off of Your feelings and for that we are so grateful. Our words will never be able to express it. Jesus help us grasp the meaning of what You said as You hung upon that cross. In the midst of all Your suffering and pain You were so full of love You cried out for all to be forgiven. Lord let this never escape my mind let it penetrate to the deepest part of me. Amen